Page 40 - The Pocket Guide to Equine Knots

Quick-release knot, step 4.

Securing Firearms

Much of backcountry horse use, and in the Rocky Mountain West particularly, is connected
with hunting tradition and thus involves carrying a rifle or shotgun on a saddle horse. People
tend toward strong opinions about the proper way of carrying a relatively awkward item and
about how its scabbard should be tied on. Complications have increased as scabbards
have grown larger to accommodate bulkier firearms with large scopes, bipods, and other

accessories. Horseback in the mountains, I’ve seen all sorts of variations.
First, it goes without saying that no firearm should ever be carried horseback with a
cartridge in the chamber. Check, re-check, and then check again that the chamber is empty

before sliding a rifle into a scabbard. The most common position seems to be butt forward
and muzzle down at about 45 degrees, the scabbard riding under the stirrup leathers. This
position is easier on the knee than a straight horizontal attachment, though one experienced
mountain hunter I know carries it that way, horizontally right under his knee. But then, he’s
tough as nails and probably doesn’t even notice. My knee would complain.

Rifle scabbard in typical position.

The straps that come with saddle scabbards are often too short to use properly. If you’re

lucky, and they’re of adequate length, the front one (toward the butt end of the rifle) can
extend up through the gullet on the pommel of the saddle, and the rear can reach a D-ring
(if your saddle has such) behind the cantle. Too often the rear strap won’t be long enough,
however, and you’ll need to extend a pair of saddle strings down to meet a loop on the

strap. I’d recommend tying the strings with a sheet bend.
I’ll reiterate that if your saddle has no D-rings and/or stingy, short saddle strings, have a